Gender is a Social Construct and 2+2=5

You may have heard someone saying “gender is a social construct.” Usually, it has a “First of all,” in front of it, as some sort of preparation for the gravity with which this declaration should be received. That itself lends credence to the parallels between what Winston in 1984 went through with two plus two equals five and the manner in which this pseudo-truth about gender is declared.

But just like two plus to two being equal to five, nobody actually believes that gender is a social construct. Winston only truly believed it after he was tortured into belief. Like two plus to equals five, stating that gender is a social construct is a means for someone to declare their political position with relation to an ideology. It’s a means to plant a flag in the ground and declare with whom they stand.

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But being beaten into submission until you say and believe that two plus two equals five creates a whole chain of cognitive problems. Big Brother is undermining the very foundation of thought. If two plus two equals five, then what does five plus five equal? What about one plus one? If something so fundamental is destroyed, then nothing else makes sense and Winston’s mind is broken. Once the mind is broken, it can be convinced of anything. It’s the same for confusing us on gender.